Warning: SPOILERS for Detective Comics #1069Batman is on a collision course with an unexpected ally who just so happens to be intrinsically tied to Green Arrow and the Arrow Family. Lian "Shoes" Harper has gotten caught up in the latest Detective Comics conflict, and her presence begs the question of just how long she'll be separated from Green Arrow—and just how much she'll further involve herself with Batman's city.
Lian Harper—or, as she's known in Gotham, Shoes—makes a significant appearance in Detective Comics #1069 by Ram V, Dexter Soy, Stefano Raffaele, Miguel Mendonca, Adriano Lucas, and Ariana Maher. The Orgham family has been rounding up Gotham's forgotten people, including some of the "strays" who were once supporting characters in Ram V's Catwoman run—including Shoes herself.
Shoes finds herself trapped with a number of other lost souls in a cage deep beneath Gotham's surface. She manages to escape the cage, promising the others that she'll return with help: "I know a few people who can help us," she says, possibly alluding to Catwoman or other Gotham vigilantes. She dons her Cheshire Cat mask, but doesn't get far before being shot at—and before running into none other than Solomon Grundy.
Green Arrow's Granddaughter Is Looking for Answers about Her Past
Though Shoes has, in recent years, only appeared as a supporting character in Gotham books, readers have already learned more about her mysterious past than she has. Lian Harper was once the daughter of Roy Harper—Green Arrow's former sidekick Speedy—and the assassin Cheshire. Before the New 52 continuity reboot, Lian was tragically killed, and then never made an appearance during the New 52 era, despite once being a beloved character in her own right and an essential part of Roy Harper's character for many years. But, from Shoes' introduction in 2020's Catwoman #25, context clues pointed toward her being this long-lost Arrow Family daughter: between her recurring dream of a woman in a Cheshire Cat mask to her later meeting that same woman, it was clear Shoes was Cheshire's daughter.
Now with Roy Harper returned to life and reunited with the Titans—as well as the upcoming Green Arrow miniseries that features Shoes on its first cover—it's only a matter of time before Shoes finally learns about her history as Lian Harper. The major question is how this history will play out over the course of this Detective Comics arc, which includes teases about Shoes' past in upcoming solicit summaries. From the end of 'Tec #1069, it's likely she's on a collision course with Batman, who's actively fighting against the Orghams and their scheming. If Shoes manages to reunite with Catwoman and/or Batman himself, will they finally realize she's the long-lost—and, in terms of continuity, long-forgotten—Lian Harper? How will this affect the Green Arrow miniseries, which promises to feature Roy?
Fans are left with more questions than answers with Shoes' latest re-emergence, but one thing's for certain: the reunion between Lian Harper and her father—as well as the rest of the Green Arrow Family—has been coming for many years, and the details carefully seeded in different stories might finally be paying off. Shoes may be co-starring in a Batman book for the moment, but she will always be a Green Arrow character at heart.
Detective Comics #1069 is available now from DC Comics!